Chocolate Chai Cheesecakes Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place a 9x13-inch baking pan filled with water on the lower rack of the preheating oven. Line a 10-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
• Combine graham cracker crumbs, cookie crumbs, butter, sugar, and cinnamon in a food processor or bowl; mix well. Spread mixture evenly over the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of the springform pan. Press down with the bottom of a glass or mug to compress the crust. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top.
• Place crust in the preheated oven to melt the chocolate chips, 3 to 5 minutes. Carefully spread melted chocolate over the crust. Set aside.
• Place semisweet chocolate chips in an oven-proof bowl; heat in the oven until melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir well to ensure there are no lumps.
• Add cream cheese and sugar to the chocolate; beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Stir in vanilla extract. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in heavy cream just until incorporated; avoid overbeating. Pour filling mixture over the crust.
• Bake on the middle rack of the oven, above the water-filled pan, until middle is set, 40 to 50 minutes. Remove cheesecake from the oven and cool completely, about 1 hour. Run a thin, sharp knife around the edges to loosen the sides of the cake and prevent cracking.
• Make ganache while cheesecake is cooling. Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Add tea bags and let steep until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Squeeze tea bags into the cream and discard. Add chocolate chips; stir until melted and smooth. Add ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour over cooled cheesecake and chill until set, at least 1 hour.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Wrap outside bottom and side of 10-inch springform pan with heavy-duty foil to prevent leaking. Spray inside bottom and side of pan with cooking spray. In small bowl, mix crust ingredients. Press in bottom of pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F. Cool crust 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in microwavable measuring cup, microwave 1 cup whipping cream on High 1 minute 30 seconds to 2 minutes or just until it begins to boil. Place tea bags in hot cream; let stand 15 minutes.
• In large bowl, beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and the vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, just until blended. Remove tea bags from cream and squeeze extra liquid from tea bags; discard bags. Stir cream and orange peel into cream cheese mixture until well blended. Pour filling over crust.
• Bake at 300°F 55 to 65 minutes or until edge of cheesecake is set at least 2 inches from edge of pan but center of cheesecake still jiggles slightly when moved. Turn oven off; open oven door at least 4 inches. Let cheesecake remain in oven 30 minutes. Run small metal spatula around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Cool in pan on cooling rack 30 minutes. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
• To serve, run small metal spatula around edge of pan; carefully remove foil and side of pan. In chilled medium bowl, beat 1 cup whipping cream and 1 tablespoon sugar with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Spread over cheesecake. Garnish with orange peel twists. Cover; refrigerate any remaining cheesecake.